Does Google give any (negative) weight to .info domains?
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Hi, All!
We're working with a client on setting up a support blog for their site (not hosted on-site because it's a related topic, not directly about their business). We're thinking about a few domain possibilities, but for some of the ones we'd like the .com is already taken. .info (as well as others) are available, and the client is interested in using a different TLD, but I'm shying away from it because of the concern that:
a) people will look at it more suspiciously (exactmatch.info? must be spam) - but maybe that's just because I'm an SEO
b) does Google have anything against exact match domains with endings like .info, .net, etc.? (I know there's never any guarantee that the exact match domain will continue to hold its weight in the algorithm at all, but taking that as a given for now - and we are planning on putting decent quality original content on it).
Thanks in advance for the input!
Aviva
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I agree with Ryan. In my openion, two important things you have to do for any TLD to work well for you is to ensure that you have relevant information and do not divert your content focus, the second is that tell Google your destination target in your webmaster tool area.
I have few good ranked info sites and find that regardless of your domain level, you do it right, you'll rise as a winner!!
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It makes no difference at all to Google what TLD you use. To Google a ".edu" domain isn't good, a ".info" domain is not bad. Domains do not receive any bonus nor penalty based on their type.
With respect to users, that is a different story. Clearly .com has a very strong preference among users. If you name most any major company such as McDonalds, Toyota, Facebook, etc. you can add ".com" to their name and wind up on their corporate website. If you choose any site without a .com extension, you should clearly understand a percentage of your visitors will wind up on the .com site.
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